Management Plan Spaans Lagoen

Published on January 9, 2018

The management plan for Spaans Lagoen is the result of a multi-day workshop in April 2017 with key stakeholders, led by Dr. Lawrence Jones-Walters of Wageningen Environmental Research (Alterra) and team members of Parke Nacional Arikok. The workshop followed the official addition of Spaans Lagoen to Parke Nacional Arikok on 10 February 2017 by means of a national decree (AB 2017 no.11) and a festive inauguration on 31 March 2017 by HKH Princes Beatrix.

Spaans Lagoen was declared a Ramsar site (# 198) in 1980 because of the importance of this wetland as a foraging area and breeding area for numerous bird species and as a breeding ground and nursery for various species of fish and crustaceans. With the realization and implementation of this management plan, Aruba will comply with the international requirements imposed on a Ramsar area.

A management plan usually has a duration of approximately 10 years. It indicates the direction in which FPNA will work with the management. For the Spanish Lagoon area, FPNA will focus on concrete nature conservation activities for the coming 8-10 years:

Note that the management plan is a living document. Within the coming ten years, the management plan may be adjusted should new insights or circumstances give reason to do so.

The management plan for Spaans Lagoen will be introduced in the coming months to stakeholders – including local residents, local fishing communities, tour operators and livestock farmers. A cooperation agreement with various parties still has to be developed.